OakMonster’s Den

It’s been 15 minutes since I took my morning Cipro. I’m starting to get dizzy.

Upgrade: So far it’s been a lot easier on my stomach than the other two. Yeah!

Downgrade: I constantly feel like I’m motion sick. The floaty, dizziness that make me feel like the bottom of my chest is shivering all the time. I can’t explain it. It’s not acid-filled, stomach churn like last week. This one it churns because I’m dizzy.

I wonder if I could take Bonine, my wonder anti-motion sickness pill, to counter this.

Time to call my doctor!

*UPDATE* Pseudomonas Dermatitis. aka. hot tub rash. I have the resistant strain. Yep. What we expected is right. It’s the spare bathroom’s bath tub. Apparently, Scrubbing Bubbles’ disinfecting power alone doesn’t kill everything in that.

We’re bleaching that. Tonight.

I’ve been prescribed Cipro. Folks. I have anthrax.

Just kidding.

My doctor ran a culture and found that what I have is not staph, but some other bacteria that is supposedly more resistant to the other 2 antibiotics I’ve been on this past week. Although, I seem to have healed well so far, she wants to make sure the damn thing is dead.

And such a great patient I am, when she left me a message and told me what the bug was, I wrote it down on a Post-it with some other things on it. And later, I tossed that piece of post-it, naturally.

So, here I am on Cipro. Still recovering from some kind of mutant bacteria. List of side effects and precaution in taking this pill is as long as an Oscar winner’s thank you list!

I’m tired of 3 things at the moment.

First, feeling sick to my stomach (and the 2 times I threw up) because of the antibiotics. REALLY feeling for mom now.

Second, moving. Thank god it’s done and now it’s all the unpacking I have to do.

And third, an item that shall remain a mystery because I do self censor occasionally. (Shocking!) But yet another reason why I suddenly understand my mom a hell of a lot more.

Funny how LA Times had the whole article about staph infection on Sunday. So now you can read on what I had.

LA Times: Infection Is Growing in Scope, Resistance

Yes. HAD. I’m done with it. Everything minimizes into flatten, dark spots. Starting to wonder if they’d stay there as scars though.

Last Friday, Stargate SG-1 episode was about the crew getting trapped in another dimension and therefore is invisible to other people. The crew can see and hear everyone, but no one could see them.

That’s how I’ve felt over the weekend. And I believe I am still invisible so far this morning.

Where’s a hole you want to craw in when you need one? Not that anyone would notice me gone, but at least I don’t have to sit there and watch the world goes by.

I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning. Apparently jetlag still has a hold on me.

So I got up, watched the news for half and hour, then put Yoga Shakti in DVD player.

Yes people. I, the sleep-inner, was doing yoga at 5:30 a.m.

And I feel GREAT.

I wonder if I can actually keep that schedule. Wouldn’t that be nice?

The 2 antibiotics I’m taking are making me sick to my stomach.

I have to constantly fight the feeling of throwing up. It seems the more I eat the better I feel but at some point even eating doesn’t help.

Like now.

I guess I can somehow relate to mom’s nausea after chemo. Just a fraction of how she felt. No wonder she doesn’t want to eat.

On the other hand, it seems I have to keep eating to keep the stomach from churning. But at this moment, I’m stuffed…yet the churning continues.

BTW - My best friend JC is in town from Maryland/DC for her friend’s wedding. Surprised the hell out of me, but sooooo happy to see her! She and her hubby Erick are in escrow for a home. And in 6 months, they’re going to actually use the nursery! I’m going to be an honorary aunty!!

This is my plan. I will not have my own kids, but I’ll be one heck of an aunty to my friends’ kids.

Say No to Craig

Yep. I joined the mass of Pierce Brosnon’s fans on a campaign to replace Daniel Craig as Bond.

Pierce Brosnon is the only reason why I keep going back to see 007 on big screen. I go to see a Bond film leaving all logic behind, and just enjoying the sight of Bond and the gadgets and cars.

Although I’d LOVE to have Pierce back, but I’d settle for anyone other than Craig.

The dude already lost 2 teeth in a stunt shoot, and now he admitted he can’t drive the Astin Martin because he doesn’t know how to drive stick??? Pu-lease!

I can be a better Bond than this guy.

Got 2 words for you.

Staph infection.

And I got it. All over my butt.

Saturday evening. Brandon noted that it seemed I had been bitten on a butt cheek by a bug. Entirely possible and happened before. Could be bugs on the couch. No problem.

Sunday evening. A few more dots appear. Still, I’ve been on the couch a bit. Damn flea-ridden hand-me-down loveseat. Then again, it came from a catlover household.

Monday evening. I heard this.

“Holy shit, babe! That couch is eating you alive!”

My derrier is covered entirely by scattered red dots, some bigger than others. A few dots could also be found on my legs.

Still thinking they’re possible flea bites from the couch. Brandon applied cortisone cream and we went to bed.

Tuesday morning. 3 dots appeared on my left arm.

I went to my doctor that morning. She said it’s staph infection on the skin. I’ve been prescribe 2 antibiotics and limit skin-to-skin contact.

So I missed going to the Lakers game last night…with the entire staff (no execs) in the fully stocked with food and booze executive suite courtesy of our company’s patron.

And here I am, gingerly sitting at my desk as some of those bumps hurt like son of a bitch, and scared to touch anyone.

Thank god for the internet, eh?

Touched down on US soil on Valentine’s Day at 8:30 p.m. Got home at 10:30 and promptly went to bed. Woke up and got to work for Board meeting at 6:30 a.m. and toughed out the day.

Today, not so much toughing out. At 3 p.m. I was a husk of a human being so at 4 I limped home.

Jetlag sucks. Although the effect is noticeably diminished by flying direct instead of the usual stop-and-go.

And we’re moving this weekend to Los Alamitos. If you know me and haven’t received the “we’re moving email”, email me.

Not much time or energy to write much at the moment, but here. See some pictures from my visit to Khao Lak with my dad and the tsunami memorial competition finalists.

Yep. Still in BKK. Getting on the plane tomorrow though. For sure.

After seeing mom on Friday morning, still feeling yucky from chemo and now a little disheartened that I’m leaving, I decided to stay until, well, tomorrow.

It was a decision that was worth it.

Today, mom’s eating more. Or at least less resistant to me bossing her around to eat some more. LOL. She looks great and has been up out of bed or at least more alert today.

The doctor said yesterday that the worst is over for her. She reacts to chemo wonderfully–a little nauseaus but haven’t really thrown up, more tired but otherwise feeling okay. The second half of this first course will be a lot less “painful”, he said. So, yippee for mom.

And yippee for me. Now I can get on the plane feeling good leaving her. Hopefully, someone in the house will resume my duty as Florence Nightingale from Hell. LOL.

Oh yeah. I’m the bossiest nurse my mom’s ever known, she said. Hahah.

Eat some more. No, you can’t say no. One more bite. Come on.

Oh no. You’re not throwing up. That pill you just took was anti-nausea. You can’t feel sick. It’s not possible. Here. Have some more ice chips. And don’t get up so quick.

What the heck are these? Why didn’t you take your vitamins? Come on. One at a time. I want to see these gone when I come back. Okay?

HAHAHHA. Yeah. I can never be a mom. Poor kid.
So yeah. Will be on the plane tomorrow night. For sure.